Quick detachable connector for metal-enclosed switchgears



July 28, 1953 w. c. FULTON ETAL 2,647,247

QUICK DETACHABLE CONNECTOR FOR METAL-ENCLOSED SWITCHGEARS Filed oct. 27, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 F i g.l. m

C; I I I I l Zia M m ATTORN EY W. C. FULTON EI'AL QUICK DETACHABLE CONNECTOR FOR METAL-ENCLOSED SWITCHGEARS July 28, 1953 Filed Oct. 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

Fig.5.

INVENTORS Wilbur C.Fulron ond Roy S.Tusing.

wlTNEssEs: W a 4 Patented July Z8, 1953 QUICK DETACHABLE CONNECTOR FOR METAL-ENCLOSED SWITCHGEARS Wilbur C. Fulton, Pittsburgh, and Roy S. Tusing, Turtle Creek, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 27, 1950,`Serial No. 192,502

9 Claims. (Cl. 339-214) Our invention relates, generally, to metal-enclosed switchgear and, more particularly, to primary disconnecting contacts and the connections thereto for such switchgear.

The removable circuit breaker units which are housed in metal-enclosed switchgear are provided with primary disconnecting contact members for making the main circuit connections to the breaker unit. Each primary disconnecting contact comprises a stationary portion which is mounted in the cell housing and a movable portion carried by the circuit breaker unit. The copper connections from the main power conductors are made to the stationary portions of the primary disconnecting contact members.

An object of our invention'is to provide a primary disconnecting contact having a stationary portion to which copper connections may be attached in either one of two planes which are at right angles.

Another object of our invention is to provide a combined insulating and supporting member for the stationary portion of a primary disconnecting contact.

Amore general object of our invention is to provide a primary disconnecting contact assembly which shall be simple and eiiicient in operation and which may be economically manufactured and installed.

Other objects of our invention will be explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with our invention, a T-shaped member and angle members are so connected together that the angle members may be rotated 90? tovchange from horizontal connections to vertical connections, or vice versa, without changing the T-shaped member which is engaged by the movable portion of the primary disconnecting Contact carried by the circuit breaker unit. The T-shaped member and the angle members are supported by a molded insulating member attached to cross members in the cell housing.

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of our invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a View, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of a portion of a metalenclosed switchgear structure containing a removable circuit breaker unit and primary disconnecting contacts embodying the principal features of the invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in front elevation, of the T-shaped member utilized in a primary disconnecting contact;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View, in side elevation, of the insulating support for the stationary portion of a primary disconnecting contact;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View, in rear elevation, of the support member shown in Fig. 3, and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views, in section, taken along the lines V-V, VI--VI and VII--VII, respectively, in Fig. 4. l

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, the structure shown therein comprises a portion of a metal-enclosed switchgear housing or cell l0 in which is disposed a circuit breaker unit ll, The circuit breaker unit l l may be of the horizontal draw-out type supported by 'rollers l2 which rest on rails I3 attached to the sides of the housing I0. A circuit breaker mechanism I4 having an actuating handle l5 is mounted in the draw-out unit Il. The circuit breaker may be of a type wel1 known in the art and its structure will not be described in detail in the present application.

As explained hereinbefore, it is the usual practice to provide removable circuit breaker or other apparatus units with primary disconnecting contacts which are disengaged when the circuit breaker unit is withdrawn from the cell or housing in which it is enclosed during normal operation. The circuit breaker unit carries a movable portion of each primary disconnecting contact and a copper connection is made to a xed portion of each contact, thereby connecting the breaker to the main power conductors in the metal-enclosed structure.

In the present instance primary disconnecting contacts I 6 are provided. As shown, each primary disconnecting contact comprises a plurality yof contact fingers Il disposed on opposite sides of a rectangular conductor I8 on the circuit breaker unit l l. The contact fingers Il are retained in position by a retaining member I9, and are biased toward the conductor I8 by spring members 2l. Each contact nger Il is provided with a projection 22 disposed in a groove in the conductor I8, thereby retaining the ngers on the conductor when the circuit breaker unit is withdrawn from the cell I0 to disengage the movable portion of the disconnecting contact from the fixed portion.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the iixed portion of each contact I6 may comprise a T-shaped member 23 having a vleg 24 and arms 25 and '26. The T-shaped member may be formed by bending a rectangular piece of copper strap into the desired shape. If desired, the T-shaped member may comprise two angle members disposed back-to-back to form a T.

As explained hereinbeiore, it is desirable to be able to make electrical connections to the xed portion or" the primary disconnecting contact by copper` conductors which may be disposed either in a vertical plane or in a horizontal plane in order to facilitate making the necessary connections to the main power conductors which may be located atV different places in the switchgear structure. In order to accomplish this object, the T-shaped member 23 is provided with four holes 21 which are disposedy at the corners of a square, as shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in the lower contact IB in Fig. l, an angle member 28 is connected to the upper arm 25 of each T-shaped member 23,. and a.

similar angle member 2S is connected to the lower arm 2G of each T-shaped member. The angle members may be provided with holes 3l for connecting copper conductors (not shown) to the angle members.

As shown in the upper contact in Fig. l., the angle members 28 and 2S! may bev so connected to the T-shaped member 23 that the conductors which are connected to thev angle mem-bers lie in a vertical plane. As shown inv the lower contact in Fig. l, the angle members 28 and- 29 may be so rotated through 90 that theconductors connected to these angle members lie in a. horizontal plane. rEhe angle members are connected to the T-shaped member by bolts 32 disposed in the holes 2-7. Since these holes are equally spaced, it is a simple matter to rotate the angle members through 90 if it is desired to change the copper connections from a horizontal. to a vertical plane, or vice versa.

Each T-shaped member 23 is supported by an insulating base 33 to which it is attached by the bolts 32 which extend through holes 34 (see Fig. 4) provided in the base 33. The holes 34 in the base are in alinement with the holes 21 in the member 23. As shown in Fig. 1, the bases 33 for the upper contacts l may be attached to cross members 35 and 35r by bolts 31 which extend through holes 38 in the. base. The bases for the lower contacts may beV attached to cross members 3S and 39h-y bolts 31.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 4, each base 33 is provided with a rectangular opening 4l.. As shown in Fig. l, the leg 24 of the T-shaped member 23 extends through the rectangular opening 4l for engagement by the contact. nn.- gers il when the breaker unit is in, its operating position in the cell. In this manner, the angle members 28 and 29 are connected directly to the arms 25 and 25 of the T-shaped member 23 and the contact ingers I1 engage the leg of the T-shaped member. Thus, an electrical circuit is provided through the members of the disconnecting contact without it being necessary for current to flow through the bolts 32.

As shown in Figs. 3 to 7, the insulating base 33 is preferably molded from a plastic or other suitable insulating material. Metal inserts 42 may be provided for the holes 34 to prevent the plastic material from being damaged by the bolts 32. Suitable ridges 43 and 44 may be provided to increase the creepage distance from the copper conductors to the metal members which support the bases. Reinforcing ribs 45 may beprovided to strengthenl the base. If desired, wells I. or recesses 46 may be provided at suitable places in the base, thereby saving plastic material.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that we have provided a primary disconnecting contact which makes it possible to change the connecting conductors from a horizontal to a vertical plane, or vice versa. Thus, it is relatively easy to make the required connections between the disconnecting contacts and the main power conductors which may be located at different points in the switchgear structure. Furthermore, since the different parts of the contact which carry current are directly connected together, the contact resistance is lowered, thereby reducing the losses in the contact members.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above-described construction and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof,A it is intended` that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be. interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim as our invention:

l.. A disconnecting contact for circuit breaker unit comprising spaced contact .'Tingers carried by the circuit breaker unit, an angular member disposed for engagement by the contact ngers, an. angle member connected directly to the anguiar member, an insulating base having an opening therein, said angular member having one leg extending through said opening, and bolts extending through the base ior connecting the angle member to the other eg oi the angular member and to the base.

A disconnecting Contact comprising spaced Contact fingers, a T-shaped member disposed for engagement by the contact fingers,` angle :.nem bers connected directly to the arms of theA T- shaped member, an insulating base having an opening therein, said T-shaped member having its legextending 'through said opening and bolts extending through the angle members and 'the arms of the T-shaped member to attach them to the base.

3., A disconnecting Contact for a circuit breaker unit comprising spaced contact fingers carried by the circuit breaker unit, an angular member disposed for engagement by the Contact iingers, an angle member connected directly to the angular member, an insulating base having an opening therein, said angular member having one leg extending through said opening, and ,tour bolts disposed at the corners of a square for connecting the other leg of the angular .member to. the base and the angle member to said other leg ofA the angular member.

4. ln a disconnecting contact for a circuit breaker unit, in combination, a conductor on the breaker unit, spring biased Contact fingers disposed on opposite sides of the conductor, a T- 'raped member having its leg disposed for engagement by the contact fingers, an angle member connected directly to each arm of the T- shaped member, an insulating base having an opening therein, the leg ol the T-shaped inember extending through said opening for engagement by said contact iingers, and bolts for connecting the angie members to the arms of the T-shaped member and to the base.

5. In a disconnecting contact for a circuit breaker unit, in combination, a conductor on the breaker unit, spring biased Contact lingers disposed on opposite sides of the conductor, a T- shaped member having its leg disposed for engagement by the Contact fingers, an angle member connected to each arm of the T-shaped member, an insulating base having a rectangular opening therein, the leg of the T-shaped member extending through said opening to the opposite side of thc base from the arms of said T-shaped member, and equally spaced bolts extending through the angle members and the arms of the T-shaped member to attach them to the base.

6. In a disconnecting contact for a removable apparatus unit, in combination, a conductor on the apparatus unit, spring biased Contact fingers disposed on opposite sides of the conductor, a T-shaped member having its leg disposed for engagement by the contact lingers, an angle member connected to each arm of the T-shaped member, an insulating base having a rectangular opening therein, the leg of the T-shaped member extending through said opening to the opposite side of the base from the arms of said T- shaped member, and four bolts disposed at the corners of a square for connecting the arms of the T-shaped member to the base and the angle members to the arms of the T-shaped member.

7. In a disconnecting contact, in combination, an insulating base having an opening therein, a T-shaped member having its leg extending through said opening to be laccessible from the side of the base opposite from the side on which the arms of the T are disposed, an angle member connected to each arm of the T-shaped member, and bolts for connecting the T-shaped member to the base, said bolts also connecting the angle members to the T-shaped member, said angle members being rotatable through 90 and still connectable to the T-shaped member by said bolts.

8. In a disconnecting contact, in combination, an insulating base having an opening therein, a T-shaped member having its leg extending through said opening to be accessible from the side of the base opposite from the side on Which the arms of the T are disposed, an angle member connected to each arm of the T-shaped member, and four bolts disposed at the corners of a square for connecting the T-shaped member to the base and the angle members to the T-shaped member, said angle members being rotatable through and still connectable to the T-shaped member by said bolts.

9. In a disconnecting contact, in combination, an insulating base having -an opening therein, an angular member having a leg and arms disposed at substantially right angles to the leg, said leg extending through said opening beyond the side of the base opposite from the side on which the arms are disposed, an angle member connected to each arm, and equally spaced bolts for connecting said members to the base, said angle members being rotatable through 90 and still connectable to the T-shaped member by said bolts.

WILBUR C. FULTON. ROY Si. TUSING.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,275,703 miapp Aug. 13, 1918 1,696,947 Flaherty Jan. 1, 1929 2,029,028 Kneass et al Jan. 28, 1936 2,229,504 Hoye Jan. 21, 1941 2,388,934 Pearson Nov. 13, 1945 2,417,928 Guernsey Mar. 25, 1947 2,502,253 Fox Mar. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 414,488 Italy Aug. 7, 1946 

